In a regulatory filing disclosing the cuts, Textron attributes the Textron Aviation unit’s layoffs partly to completed development of the Longitude business jet. The Federal Aviation Administration certificated Longitude in September.

“Textron’s board of directors approved a restructuring plan designed to reduce costs and improve overall operating efficiency through headcount reductions, facility consolidations and other actions,” says the filing, made to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. “In the Textron Aviation segment, we conducted a review of our ongoing workforce requirements, resulting in the initiation of targeted headcount reductions and other actions to realign our cost structure.”

Those cuts are “primarily related to engineering positions, reflecting completion of the Longitude certification activities and reduced requirements for ongoing development programmes”, it adds.

“Business support” employees are also being cut.

Textron expects the total 875 job cuts will cost $40-45 million in severance and related expenses in the fourth quarter.

In a statement to FlightGlobal, Textron Aviation describes the cuts as part of an effort to “continue to operate with efficiency”.

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